If you’ve visited this website before, you know that I’ve written about the asylum backlog again and again… and again and again and again and again. And yet again. And once more. And probably a few other times in-between. USCIS recently released some new statistics on asylum, and so I thought I would share them here and discuss the current situation.
First off, despite the efforts of the Asylum Division, the backlog continues to grow. In January 2015, the total number of backlogged cases was 76,446. By the end of March 2015, there were 82,175 backlogged asylum cases nationwide. The numbers have only increased since then.
The main cause of the backlog has been large numbers of people–mostly young people–coming to the United States from Central America. These young people are detained at the border and receive a credible fear interview, which is an initial assessment of eligibility for asylum. If they pass the credible fear interview, their case is referred to an Immigration Court, which then fully reviews their asylum application. The credible fear interviews are conducted by Asylum Officers, and because they are detained at government expense, the young people are given priority over other (non-detained) asylum seekers. Because the Asylum Division must devote resources to these credible fear interviews, they have been unable to keep up with the more traditional asylum cases. Hence, the backlog.
I keep expecting the number of young people coming here to wane, but so far that has not been the case. Indeed, the number of people coming from Central America this year is nearly identical to the numbers we saw last year. And given that summer is traditionally a busier time for migration from Central America, we can expect more young people to arrive at our border in the next few months. Thus, it seems likely that the backlogged cases will keep piling up.
According to the latest statistics, the least backlogged offices are Houston (3,971 backlogged cases), Arlington (5,791), and Chicago (6,485). The most backlogged office is Los Angeles (17,042), followed by Newark (14,924), New York (13,568), Miami (11,366), and San Francisco (9,028). Wait times in these offices roughly correlate with the number of cases backlogged, so Houston is currently the fastest office and Los Angeles is the slowest.
Of course, obtaining a (relatively) quick interview date is of little value if the case is denied. In terms of grant rates, the fastest offices are not necessarily the most likely to grant asylum. Although the statistics on this vary, the offices in Chicago, Houston, Miami, Newark, and New York all grant asylum less than 33% of the time. Arlington and Los Angeles grant about 50% of their cases, and San Francisco grants over 60% of its cases.
So what is the Asylum Division doing to address the backlog?
For one thing, they have been hiring more Asylum Officers. Since the backlog began in 2013, the number of staff members has increased by 90% and they continue to hire and train more officers. It appears that the Asylum Division will continue to add new officers through 2016. So if–and it is a big if–we see a drop in credible fear interviews at the border, the asylum offices should be well positioned to make some progress on the backlog.
The Asylum Division is also making an effort to keep the public more informed about the backlog. For some months now, there has been discussion about providing more information about processing times at the different asylum offices (for example, the Arlington, Virginia office is currently interviewing cases from July 2013). Because workloads are unpredictable, the asylum offices do not know when they will interview an individual case, but they do know which cases they are processing now. By posting this information, at least asylum seekers will have some idea about where they stand in the queue (the Department of State has a similar system for family- and employment-based immigration visas).
The asylum offices have also created some very limited ways to expedite cases. I have discussed those here.
As an advocate for asylum seekers, of course I believe that more should be done. Most importantly, I would like to see the asylum offices give higher priority to people separated from their immediate relatives. I would also like to see more resources devoted to processing I-730 petitions, which allow approved asylum seekers to bring their spouses and children to the U.S. Also, given that asylum cases are moving slowly, I would like to see USCIS issue work permits (EADs) for two or more years, instead of just one year. Finally, I would like to see responsibility for credible fear interviews moved from the Asylum Division to a separate unit or–better yet–the elimination of credible fear interviews altogether (CFIs are basically rubber stamps and thus a waste of resources; it would be better if such cases were adjudicated in the first instance by an Immigration Judge).
The Asylum Division is faced with a very difficult–if not impossible–task: To continue adjudicating asylum cases while dealing with an unpredictable and overwhelming number of credible fear cases, all the while, with a hostile Congress looking for excuses to reduce asylum protections. For the sake of our asylum system and those who need protection, I hope they can navigate these treacherous waters.
Hi Jason! Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for all the information you give us! You even can’t imagine how much we appreciate you and grateful always!!!
My case has been pending since Oct 2014 in Newark Asylum Office, and I read in some of your comments that Houston, TX is the fasted office. Jason, if I move to TX will it expedite the interview? I am separated from my children and desperately looking for the ways to expedite the process, like all of us here… Please reply.
Thank you in advance!!!! God bless you!!!!
I don’t know. In general, when people move, it makes things slower, but I had two cases where the people moved and then got interviews within six months (and one of those was in Texas). Frankly, my thought is that moving will probably slow things down, but it is hard to say. Maybe you can find a lawyer or non-profit in Texas and ask what experience they have had with people who move there for their case. good luck, Jason
Thank you so much Jason!!! Do you know anything about grant rate in Texas, is it better there or in Newark? Of course, I do understand that it is all depends on my case, but still… I feel like you are an expert and probably know the answer. Again thank you SO much!!!!!!!!
A very unscientific review of the statistics made me think Texas is better than Newark, but it was very unscientific and I would not rely on it for much. I wish they had better data on all these types of questions, but it is not easy to find.
Thank You So Much, Jason!!!!!!!!
So sorry – I meant to say that Newark is better than Texas in terms of grant rate, but that was just based on looking at some statistics for a few months and roughly making a comparison of cases granted in each office. I do not think it is very reliable at all, and I would not recommend making decisions about which office is best based on such a quick review of the statistics.
First, Jason, I want to say thank you so much, I check your blog on a daily basis, the information you proved is most helpful. May god bless you.
I had filed my case MARCH/2013 in LA office, I read that you don’t have the exactly date they interviewing, but I still have one question.
I recently read a post on a Chinese communication board, there are three case been interviewed (LA office) on May 22, all of them had filed their case 11/2014, then rescheduled by USCIS on 12/2014.
Is that mean LA office still working on the rescheduled case？ The USCIS office will schedule interview for pending backlog cases and rescheduled cases at same time? Or they won’t take care of old case before they finished the rescheduled cases?
Again, thank you so much!
oh, I’m sorry, they had filed their cases on 11/2013, got the interview notice in two weeks, and rescheduled by USCIS on 12/2013, not 2014.
I don’t specifically know – I thought that they were scheduling rescheduled cases and backlog cases at the same time. Also, at least at my asylum office, many of the case from 2014 have already been interviewed. They did not start the first-in/first-out policy until late December 2014, so maybe those cases were scheduled under the old policy.
Hello JASON,
Thank you very much for caring for people with our status, it’s kind of rare for us to be cared for and actually get answers for simple questions… highly appreciated
Could you please tell us if you have any idea regardin the asylum office in Arlington? Which month are they on now? my family applied July 2014
Thank you again
Arlington is currently interviewing cases filed in early August 2013. I would expect your case to be interview in six months to one year – but that is just a guess. Good luck, Jason
Mr.Jason first of all let me thank you for providing useful information to the hopeless people(immigrants ) . I have few questions if you could please give me some information. I will appreciate it . I have submitted my application last July in Arlington. In the beginning everything was good the interview was on time and I could a recommended approval after two weeks . I was happy that everything was so fast and I was hoping that I could have my final soon but, this is almost a year now I didn’t hear anything from them. My friend submitted his application in CA few months later than main but he got his final approval already even though he didn’t have any recommend approval . Is recommended approval mean that we have to wait long ? I am becoming frustrating day by day it is too difficult to wait……and live without family. Can I do anything do expedited my case ? The asylum office told me that they have done their part, now they can not do anything to expedited the case . They said the case is not in their hand anymore. I will appreciate if you give me any suggestion what to do?
Generally, a recommended approval means that the case is waiting for a security clearance. I plan to write a post about this in the next few weeks, but in general, the same ideas for expediting the case that I list in the February 26, 2015 posting can be tried in your case. One final point – we have received final approvals in the last few months for people who had received recommended approval some time ago, so hopefully you will have some luck soon. Take care, Jason
Thank you for the quick reply. I hope I will have some luck to receive my final approval as the other guys who had recommended approvals as you said . This give me a bit of relief now . Do you recommend a travel document for me in this stage or I should wait ? I really have to go for family emergency not to my won country as I can’t go there but , to a third country .
Thanks again for all your support
If the case is still pending, you can apply for Advance Parole (see my posting of January 27, 2015), but there have been problems with that form. Anyway, that is the way to travel if you need to go. Good luck, Jason
As you are always helpful, and though I have my lawyer, but I trust you and your site as you’re more informative and more sincere than any. I filled my asylum back in May 2013, I finally got my interview, but my wife’s name is not included, and now they’ve sent me for another finger print, is that normal? the second fingerprint? and not including my wife’s name in the interview??
Many people get second fingerprint notices – that is normal. I do not know why you did not include your wife’s name in the case; the form I-589 asks for that info on page 2. The failure to include it could certainly cause problems for your case, but that is probably something you should discuss with your lawyer at this point. And if you do not trust your lawyer, you should probably find a new one. Good luck, Jason
Thank you very much.
I’ve probably misinterpret myself in the Question, my wife name is included in the form I-589, that I’ve submitted, but her name is not included in the notice for finger print.
Maybe you did not check the box on page 2 indicating that she is part of your case. If you did not include her in your case, she would not have been fingerprinted. You can add her to your case, if you want. To do that, contact the asylum office and ask how to do it (I have only ever done that in the Virginia office, and I do not know if the procedure is the same in each office). Take care, Jason
In which asylum office pls
In which asylum office pls
In which asylum office
Vermont, NY
Thank you so much
Hello Mr.jason
Thank you so much for your helpfull website and articles.
I had my first interview in march 2013 and i m still waiting for a decision.
I sent a status inquiry to miami asylum office and 2 days ago, i got a letter by mail from the miami asylum office telling me that” an asylum interview will be scheduled in the future as soon as resources permit ;please provide a filled out AR-11 to update your address; we have received your biometrics”.
Sir what does this letter indicate ?
Am i going to get second interview in the future?
Please if you can explain the letter and what is the next steps?
Thank you so much
I just had a chance to look at these statistics; thanks for showing them to us!
I see that in January USCIS rescheduled 9% of the affirmative interviews at the Arlington office, but in February they rescheduled 16% and in March they rescheduled 17%! That seems to be the reverse of the pattern for the other asylum offices: the average rate across USCIS was 14%, 9%, and 9% during those same three months. What’s up with that?
I have no idea. If I had to guess, I would say it has to do with personally changes in Arlington. They are close to HQ, and there is a lot of turn over. Also, they are a relatively small office, and so if one or two officers leave, the effect is noticeable. But that is just my guess. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason,
Let me start by thanking you for a well done help u have been giving us,its really give us some kind of hope on our pending cases,
I submited my asylum application some times back in Sept,2014 at Houston office/Texas and since then I never heard from them , now my 3 years old daughter joined me here very recently ,her name was in my asylum application ,my question is what next to do so that I can notify the Immigration that she here ,before she overstays ,please advise me the way forward I feel confused about her legal situation.
If I remember correctly, Houston is interviewing cases from about May 2014, so hopefully your interview will be soon. You can add her to your case at your interview, or – even better – you can email the Houston office and ask the procedure for adding her to your case now. I have only ever done this for a case in Virginia, and I am not sure if the procedure is the same in TX, so I suggest you contact them and ask them how to do it. Good luck, Jason
Thks a lot Mr. Jason,
I’m having trubble to send email to Houston,TX regarding the pocedures for adding my daughter to my case as u advised me ,however if u don’t mind can you please tell me which kind of form should i need to send,so that I can full it and send it them as soon as I can,I would appreciate your prompt advise as usual ,may God bless you abundantly
There is no form, and the procedure in Texas may be different from the procedure here. If you can’t reach the Houston office, you might do better to hire a local lawyer who (hopefully) will know the procedure there. Good luck, Jason
Thanks for your information.. Last question: if I change my address online, do I need to write a separate letter to the Chicago office where my case has been pending, with me staying in the same jurisdiction just moving to a different state?
We always inform the asylum office directly if a client changes address – even if the move does not result in a new asylum office. To be safe, probably you want to change it on-line and submit the form to the asylum office directly.
Hello. Thanks for so helpfull info. I am not probably the first one, but when I introduce my case number on USCIS witch starts with ZNK (Newark) it show me that:
Validation Error(s)
You must correct the following error(s) before proceeding:
My Case Status does not recognize the receipt number entered. Please check your receipt number and try again.
I have the second work permit so they have my info, but it is so wird. When I call them they cant identify the reciept number either. By the way I apply in May 2013. Do you know how far away are they with interviewing in Newark?
Thanks a lot
I think you should receive your interview pretty soon. The asylum case number cannot be checked on line, so it is not surprising that you cannot check it.
Hi Janson Thanks for your help. I applied asylum before two months. After I applied, I granted a full scholarship in Belgium for MSc. do you think I can go and study while my case is pending? Please I need advice on the available options.
Thanks!
I think it will be difficult to go to Belgium while your asylum case is pending here. At the minimum, you would need Advance Parole before you go (form I-131). I think you should talk to a lawyer before you leave the country.
Dear Jason,
Like everyone else I also want to thank you so much for all your efforts , I’ve been reading your blog for a while and never posted a question . I know you answered this already many times but maybe I ll ask this again for your encouragement hence please accept my apology if my question is duplicated .
I applied for my asylum on April 2013 in Anaheim asylum office and ever since after that I haven’t heard anything back ( not a big surprise ) , so I read somewhere you said they are processing 2012 and you don’t know which month , having said that still I need your comment , do you think if we can get our interview some time this year ? I never contacted the asylum office , do you think contacting them could help? once we get our interview , how long usually it takes for them to let you know if you are approved or not ?
Thanks a lot for all your supports and God bless you for helping people like me and keeping our hopes alive.
Could also please answer this question ?
Hi Jason,,
How come you answered every single questions in your blog except mine ? 🙁
Sorry – Maybe I missed it – try again.
Hi Jason,
first and foremost, I’d like say thank you for the extraordinary job you’re doing for a long while now.
I got a question, and would like to see you answering it.
I applied for asylum in Buffalo (New York) which is a part of Newark Asylum office (circuit ride) in April 2013, and about a month ago after two years of waiting, I moved my case to a new address in Manhattan, NY which is also a part of Newark office but a local office, and they have sent me a letter to my new address for a second fingerprint.
My questions are: Why do they asked me for a second fingerprint, is that an indication of anything? do you think moving a case within the same asylum office like what I did is going to make delays?
Thank you.
I doubt it will make a delay if you moved within the same jurisdiction. And people seem to get second fingerprint notices pretty regularly. It probably does not mean anything, though hopefully you will get an interview soon. Good luck, Jason
I had another question Jason, I was thinking maybe instead of moving to Seattle and transfer my case over the San Francisco office, I could just move to Chicago where my case has been pending since July 2013. would that move cause any delay or whatsoever issue my case?
If your case is already at the Chicago office and you move to another location in the jurisdiction of Chicago, it should not effect the timing of your case. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason, Thank you for providing us all the details about whats going on around.
I had my asylum case pending on the Los Angeles court. But I moved to Texas from LA about 2 years ago, so I transferred my case to Houston court. Original date of my application is Feb 2011. My case went to court because i applied for asylum at the airport. Do you have any idea when can I expect for my haring at Houston court? I have not received any notice for even master hearing. So I am pretty sure the waiting time is long but my case is in court for so long. Any idea when I can expect to receive anything from Houston court?
Thank you.
I don’t know much about that – but several months ago, I talked to a government lawyer in Texas (not sure where) and he told me that things were very delayed. You might want to contact a local lawyer or non-profit to get a better idea of what is happening there. Good luck, Jason
Good morning Jason Did you know about Chicago office in which month they interview old cases thanks
Chicago is interviewing cases filed in May 2013.
Thank you very much
Thank you so much jason
Thank you for trying to help us …is it predictable how many cases is being interviewed per month?
It is not predictable. Largely, this is due to the unpredictable number of asylum seekers who arrive along the Southern border. If more people arrive at the border, the asylum office can interview fewer “regular” cases, and so no one – not even the asylum office – can predict how many interviews they will do each month.
Hi Jason
Good Evening
We already talked last week about my case and CA immigration office and you said remind me next Wednesday so now Im reminding You again, I applied in California office on August 2013 and did fingerprint on September. Now can You let me know how longer I have to wait.
Thank You.
Hi, did you apply in LA or SF?
I applied in LA.
The LA office is processing cases from 2012 (I do not know the month) and the San Fran office is processing cases from May 2013. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason
Thank you for your help. I applied in LA.so it means I have to wait at least till 2016 or more?
It does not mean that. All we know if which cases are being interviewed today. It is not possible to predict when your case will be interviewed – it may be sooner or farther than you think, but at least at my local office, they have already interviewed many people who filed in late 2013 and 2014, and so I expect (and hope) that they will move through those backlogged cases more quickly. But of course, it also depends on how many people are coming to seek asylum at the border – if those numbers stay high, things will be slower, but if they slow down, we might move along quickly.
Hi, Jason. Thank you for your help! It means a lot to asylum seeker like me. You told me to remind you to post updates about LA asylum office on Wednesday. Thank you!
I see that I do not have the month for LA, but they are currently interviewing cases from 2012. Most offices around the country are interviewing 2013 cases, so LA is the slowest.
Hi Jason . I really appreciate your help. Im reminding you if it is possible to tell me which month in 2013 MIami office is interviewing now. At least i could know how long will wait more..thanks
Yes – Miami is currently interviewing cases filed in February 2013.
I do appreciate your prompt reply. I. applied on Oct 2013. That means i ll wait 8 months ? Or may be sooner ? Thx again
We only know what month they are processing now; we cannot predict how long an individual case will take. It is very frustrating, to say the least.
Hey Jason, Thank u so much for giving us the latest info my case is i have been interviewed on March 2015 and was recommended for approval i waited two years for my interview and now its almost two months and still havent received the final approval. How long does it take for background check? Thank You
Unfortunately, it is not predictable. Some people wait a few months; others wait over a year. If your case is high-profile, or if you paid money to terrorists (for example, a ransom), that can cause delay. There is not much you can do about it, but hopefully, you will hear something soon. good luck, Jason
Hello dear Jason
Thannks for your helpfull and friendly site which is keeping hope alive for all of us by your updates
I have applied in Anaheim asylum office in june 2014 and i never heaerth anythink after fingerprint my case include my wife and my child as i figured out by your comment LA office is slowest office in the nation , so do you recomment us to move out from here ? And if yes where is the best and fastest office ? Is that houston ? And i got a big concern , if i change it my case will remove to the end of line as a fresh case ?
Thank you so much dear Jason
It is unclear to me whether moving will slow down a case or not – I have seen examples where it made the case slower and a few examples where it seemed to make the case faster. In short, I do not know if it is worth the trouble to move in the hopes that it will make the case faster. On February 26, 2015, I listed some ideas for making the case faster. Maybe you could try those and see if they work. Unfortunately, things are slow all over. But to answer your question, Houston is the least slow. Good luck, Jason
Hello jason
how are you
i have a question i hope u can answer it for me
my sister grant asylum and she want to submit I 131 for refugee travel document for her and her two kids who are 10 and 11
my question is because there is no biometric need for the children does she need to send pictures with their applications ?? and in
the applications for her kids there is a part 9 for the person who help the applicant to fill the application does she need to enter her information in the part or it is just for attorneys ???
thank you soo much for your amazing blogs
I believe everyone needs to submit the photos. I suppose to be safe, she can fill her info where it ads who helped prepare the form, and maybe indicate that she is their mother. Take care, Jason
Jason Dzubow, firstable i want to thank you for all your professionally help. My question is, i heard from somebody of my family, that the delay is as big that USCIS use to approved cases blackloged without interviews. Particularly a known case of a friend who received an approved notification instead a interview notification, that means they skipped interview step. Is it possible? have you seem a case like that one based on your experience?
I have never heard of such a thing, and so I doubt it. But I guess you never know…
Hi Jason, Thank you so much for all the information you provide on asylum backlogs. Much appreciated. Any updates on LA office? are they currently scheduling interviews for 2012 or 2013? THANK YOU!
LA is the slowest office – they are scheduling in 2012, but I will not have the exact date until I return to my office in a few days.
Hey Jason, I have been reading your blogs for quite a while now and I wanted to tell what a great job you’ve ben doing so far. way to go! I have a concern, I have applied for my asylum case on July 3rd, 2013( the date they received it) to the Chicago office and my wife and I live in Wichita, KS which is a small city. I don’t know what cases are being interviewed at the moment at that office but the thing is I have not been scheduled for the interview yet and each time I tried to reach them, I received the same answer:” since I live outside the Chicago area, they only visit my city once in a while and they can’t say in advance when I’ll be called up for an interview….” Do you think the fact that I live in Wichita KS might delay even further my case if let’s assume they are going through cases received in July 2013?? Also, do you have any info regarding what cases are being examined at that office currently? Finally, I’m about to move to Seattle, do you think if I transfer my case there, it would cause a delay for my potential interview date?
It is called a “circuit ride” when they interview people away from the main office and I have not heard any dates about when such interviews occur. Supposedly, the asylum office will soon be posting more info about processing times at each office, but I do not know whether that will include circuit rides. Generally, moving a case makes it slower, but not always. Hopefully, after you move, you will finally get an interview. Good luck, Jason
I do understand that. I know someone who applied from Seattle to the San Francisco office in March 2013, he was interviewed back in March 2015 and received his approval two weeks later.
Just for the records though, do you have any info about what cases are being scheduled currently at the Chicago office?
Thank you Jason for everything! I applied in Seattle March 2013 , I never got interviewed , My second work permit is halfway towards expiring , I started getting patient when I realized that Seattle office hadsome clients waited 7 years for their asylum interview.. Like you have constantly said asylum system constantly change, depending on the number of cases received.
Wow, sorry to hear that Josiah. I thought when they said old cases are new priority they meant all old cases would be interviewed and not random old ones. I know what you feel and unfortunately there’s nothing much we can do to change stuff. As I said my friend got his interview 2 years after he applied from Seattle in March 2013 and was approved two weeks later.
Now, that makes me worry again that maybe they keep selecting people randomly and only God knows when I will scheduled for an interviewed.
The large majority of our old cases (before July 2013) have been interviewed. Only 2 have not (two sisters) – supposedly, their file is in another location.
I do – but in my office. Remind me on Thursday or Friday, and I can tell you.
Ok..
Hey Jason, were you able to get the info regarding the cases being currently examined at the Chicago office?
Chicago is interviewing cases filed in May 2013.
hi jason
Thanks a lot for your help , i Got my final approval in January 2015 2 weeks after my interview and they said that they will send my my work permit by mail and i did not receive anything , i am trying to reach the number they gave me to contact but nothing works so is it normal for the work permit to delay all this time ? , and what can i do ? Thank you so much for your support.
When you apply for asylum please
I applied last December before the new change of the system in sf office
Last december before the new system change
You should contact the asylum office – maybe it is best by email – and tell them. You could also go there in person if it is not too far. Also, make sure they have your current address. For my clients, when they are approved, they usually get the new work permit within a month or so.
I just sent them an email and hopefully they reply , i was trying to reach them by phone but no one answer the number they gave me , i had been 4 months and i did not receive it and the office is so far from my place and i do not have time to go , thanks a lot for your help , your articles are really helpful and accurate btw 🙂 .
Also do you know how fast is san francisco office now cuz i have a friend how applied in jan and sure he did not receive anything yet ?
I do not have the info on SF with me, but I believe they are interviewing cases from 2013, so your friend will be waiting for a while.
They are sometimes slow to reply (like several weeks), so you need to be patient, but if you do not hear in a week or two, email them again (and mention that you emailed them previously). Good luck, Jason
Thanks a lot jason
Hello jason
how u are doing
i applied for houston asylum office in nov 2014 and i didnt get my interview notice , do u have any idea about the time frame in houston , i heard from other people who applied in july , aug 2014 they got interview last month , does that i am close ?? i try to reach the asylum office they refuse to answer which cases they are interviewing , and i could do any thing
any help ??
Houston is the fastest office and I think they are currently interviewing cases filed in the summer of 2014, so your interview should be pretty soon. Make sure all your evidence is ready, and good luck, Jason
Hi Dear, First I want to say thanks for you devoted job… Now I want to share my concern, I’m applied for asylum in Miami around august 2014, I have already my permit work ok. But Now I’m living in New York… My case is about the political situation in Venezuela and issues for sexual orientation. I want to ask you in base to your wise knowledge,
1.- Do you think I must transfer my case to NYC? I would have more posibilities? Someone says in Florida they ( migration officers) know all about Venezuela’s case and can be easier than NYC.
2.- Is this transfer one way to delay my interview?
3.- Do you have any idea about what months is attending now NYC and Miami?
4.- If I need get your private services Do you have any representative in NYC? or advice
Thanks so much
Napoleon, I’m sorry, can I ask you something, I have the same situation in Miami. Can I ask you how long it took for you to get EAD (work permit)? Mine is pending more then 40 days, I put service request and made infopass, but all of this looks useless. Thank you for sharing information
Anton you will get the EAD around 60 0r 70 days .. I think so.. U only can call and claim when u have more than 60 days.
Good luck!
If you moved to NY, you are basically required to inform the USCIS and they will move your case (unless the move is temporary). I do not know which office is better in terms of grant rate or which is better for Venezuelan cases. I am away from the office for a few days, and I do not know the wait times for NY or Miami, but I do not think they are significantly different. Generally, moving your case will slow it down, but I have seen two of my clients move and actually (apparently) get a faster interview date, so I am not sure what is best. All around, I think I have not been able to help you much. If you contact me again after Wednesday, I can at least get you the info about where the two offices are in terms of interviews. Take care, Jason
Hi Jason. Thanks so much for you intention to help me :).. Anyway I write you again as you say. To get more information :).
Dear Jason thanks for everyday’s help.
I just want to know which cases Arlington office is interviewing right these days?
I have applied in early February 2015, so could you guess how I am going to stay for interview?. I know it has different factors but based on current working situation
Thanks a lot
There really is no way to know how long you will wait – even the asylum office does not know. Currently, Arlington is interviewing cases filed in July 2013. My guess is that you will wait between 6 months (if you are very lucky) and 2 years, but that is just a guess, and it depends on how many new cases enter the system, which we do not know. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason thank you for all the information you constantly providing,it has been very helpful. I applied for an asylum on january 2014,and I did put my name on the notice on nvember 2014.Please answer my question.For me ,a line work?Short list or regular/plain/?Maybe both?
God bless you.
I am not sure I understand the question, but you can do the short list and wait in line; there is no problem with doing both. Which will be faster, I do not know. Good luck, Jason
Hi jason God bless you for all your help with us. ..do you have any idea which cases Miami office is interviewing now?
I don’t have it with me (I am out of the office for a few days), but it is sometime in 2013 if I remember correctly.
I would greatly appreciate If you can tell us which month of 2013 Miami asylum office interviews.
Remind me next Wednesday or Thursday when I am back in the office and I will let you know.
Jason. do you have any info about miami asylum office ragarding interview scheduling process?
Yes – Miami is currently interviewing cases filed in February 2013.
Hi Jason,
I have applied for asylum from LA California in august 2013 and did my finger print in September 2013. But I have not heard anything till yet.
Can you let me know latest update of California,
Thank You
As I mentioned to the other commenter, I have the info, but it is in my office, and I will be out for a bit. If you remind me next Wednesday, I will try to give you the exact date. If I remember correctly, the LA office is currently interviewing cases from 2012 – it is the slowest office.
thank you for valuable information!
Hi Jason.Thank you very much for all the information You constantly providing ,it has very helpful.I applied for asylum on January 2014.And I did put my name on the short list notice on november 2014.
Please answer my question.For me ,a line work? or Plain.
Maybe both?
God bless you.
Sorry – I do not understand the question.
Jason,
it seems you are one of the few people in the world who cares about asylum seekers. Thanks you for your attention. I have applied for asylum in May 2013 and did my finger print in June 2013. in December 2014 I was asked to do a second finger print which made me really optimistic that there is a chance that they are looking into my case. 2 months ago, I applied for EAD and received that. But, I am an F1 student and need to focus on my studies. I need to finish my studies this year but I have not heard anything from Chicago asylum office for last 2 years(just the finger print). My lawyer has done status inquiry almost every 6 months but the answer is to just wait. here are some questions that I appreciate if you can answer:
1- I live in Minnesota. do you have any idea when why might finally schedule an interview for me?
2- is there any way I can use a partial financial aid or receive a private loan? without cosigner?(not expect you to know but thought I ask)
thanks again for your help
We recently had a meeting with the Asylum Office and they said Chicago was interviewing cases filed in May 2013, so hopefully your case will be heard very soon (so you should make sure you have all your evidence ready). I do not know about loans and financial aid – you would probably need to speak to the school about that. Good luck, Jason
Hi, Jason. Do you have any updates about LA asylum office? Is LA office also interviewing casese filed in 2013 now? Thank you!
I did get an update on LA, but it is in my office – and I will be out until next Wednesday (if you want to post again on Wednesday, I can try to give you the date I have). But, I am pretty sure that they are currently interviewing cases from mid-2012. I think they are the slowest office.
Thank you for your timely reply! It is very helpful!
Hi, Jason. Thank you for your help! It means a lot to seekers like us. Could you please post the update about LA asylum office? Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks!
I see that I only have the year, not the month – LA is interviewing cases from 2012.
Not to throw cold water on the situation, but if Amin is in Minnesota, the processing times for the Chicago office are not particularly helpful. His interview will be done on circuit ride and processing times at circuit ride locations are always a bit unpredictable. If the office is staying on top of the circuit ride cases and there is a steady stream of receipts coming in, interview schedules will be close to the office schedule, but if receipts are spotty, there will inevitably be a wait till they can fill a full week schedule for how many officers they might send up in a given week. Minneapolis is a pretty busy place and they should be close to the Chicago schedule, but there may be a delay.
Thank you for that – I generally do not know which office ride circuit in which locations, so that is helpful.
Hi, Jason, Thanks for sharing with us and it is very helpful. I have one question. If my case denied by Arlington Asylum Office recently and i am out of status, My case will be refer to immigration court or not ? I live in VA and my friend in New York told me that his case wasn’t refer to immigration court after his case was denied by USCIS on May 4, 2015 and he was out of status either when he took the interview by Asylum office. I want to know if this abnormal situation happens to Arlington Asylum Office too. Thanks
I have never heard of that situation before. If a person is out of status and the asylum office does not grant asylum, the case should be referred to immigration court. Good luck, Jason
Thanks for note. Jason, That abnormal situation happens to people who took interview in New York from the beginning of this year to now. They even can’t check the status of their immigration court. It is a good news that Arlington Asylum office is all normal on this point and people can be referred to imigration court if asylum office does not grant their application. Thanks for everything.
Sometimes the referrals are slow if the case is not approved, but they are always referred in Arlington.
Thanks for update again. I am really appreciate it. How long it would take if referrals are slow in Arlington? 1 month or few weeks or few months? Thank you so much !
The referral comes immediate (at the time you get the decision – it is the Notice to Appear in Immigration Court). What can be slow is getting the initial date with the court – it can take several months.
hi there thanks so much for everything and God bless you
i just want to ask you if i may .
i transfered my case from Buffalo NYC . to Empoira VA.
now i don’t know where is the office i will get the interview from
its has been 6 moth i got a latter about changing the addresses has been updated from Newark Asylum Office but just now i know that is very far from me
i don;t know or dont understand this please help me thank you
If you move to Virginia, your case will be interviewed in Arlington, Virginia. However, if you move before you get the work permit, moving could affect your eligibility for the work permit.
Hi Jason,
Do you have any idea how far New York Office reach?
How to contact the NY asylum office? You can find their website and contact info here: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices.type&OfficeLocator.office_type=ZSY
Hi Jason,
Thanks for update and good work, I applied for asylum April 7 2014 along with my 13 iyrs daughter in Newark office.
The lawyer did separate applications. The deadline to filed my our application is April 23, after it was send out my daughter received confirmation letter that her application was received April 21, later I received mine saying that it was received on May 5. When I confront my Lawyer she told mine was return for correction at her her office that’s why.
My question is, am I affected by the deadline?
I received interview notice June 16, and my Lawyer has a baby at hospital and wrote a letter for reschedule no new date given to me since. My daughter was later interview with me in Oct 2014 she’s approved. We have kick out where we leaving with a friend, I am totally confuse on what to do, my EAD was rejected that I cause the delay. A friend in Chicago is offering us a place to live there. If I move my case there what is the impact, will it delay more or faster? Please I need your kind advice thank you.
If you have evidence that you (or your lawyer) sent the application before the one-year date, you should be o.k. with regards to that deadline. You may want to contact the asylum office about your interview date, as normally a rescheduled interview is not so long (but sometimes it is long). If you move to Chicago and move your case there, it may cause a delay. However, e have had two cases where the people moved and it seems to have gotten them faster interviews. Normally, I would expect a move to cause more delay, but you never know. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
I filed asylum in August 2013 in Newark office and I had given up hope on my case. After I have found ur website, I constantly check for ur updates in Legal section. You have given a ray of hope I was looking for. I was so frustrated with my life. First my mom expired in OCT 2013 and since my case was pending I could not go back home to meet my mom before she left this world. Also, I got laid-off in California last year and could not find a job at all there. So I have moved frm my filing location. Will this affect my case if in the near future I get my interview opportunity. and what if I get married before my interview date? Will it affect my status and my boyfriend? My boyfriend is on H1 Visa….Please keep me updated on my questions.
You are doing a great job to help asylee like me and thousand others. All we want to know is when will our plea be heard!!!!!!
I am not sure I understand whether you moved your case from Newark to California, but if it is still in Newark, that is one of the slower offices. My understanding is that they are currently interviewing cases filed in December 2012. That means, if you filed in August 2013, you still have a few months to wait. If you get married, it should not affect your asylum case, and it may be possible to join your husband to your case (if he and you want to do that). If you move your case to California, it will likely cause more delay. Good luck, Jason
Hi, Jason!!!!!
My case have been pending exactly for 365 days. I know that there is a big waiting time to be interviewed. But can you tell us average or approximately waiting time to be scheduled for asylum interview. I applied in to Chicago office!!
Thanks
If I remember correctly, the Chicago office is currently interviewing cases filed in summer 2013, so probably have several more months to wait (at best). Good luck, Jason
Mr. Dzubow,
Do you think the credible fear standard is too lenient? I ask because i have read/watched immigration seminars that state the credible fear standard is something like, “a 1 in 10 chance something bad might happen to you in your country of origin.” I also remember the uproar when USCIS instructed officers conducting these interviews that the credible fear should be granted only in relation if they had a high chance of winning an asylum claim (Lafferty Memo)- which activists decried as a way to limit asylum. A higher credible fear standard might prevent an even bigger backlog from developing and prevent false hope that the alien has a winning asylum claim. There have been articles that argue many of the Central Americans should be released because they have passed a credible fear interview- and when the asylum claim is denied, both the alien and the attorney complain that the judge’s decision was wrong, pointing again to that same credible fear interview.
The large majority of people “pass” the credible fear interview and then have the full case heard by an Immigration Judge. My feeling is that if such a large number of people pass the interview, maybe we should just eliminate the interview and assume that everyone passes. Then the IJ can decide the case on its merits. It just seems that if so few people do not pass the interview, there is no point in doing the interview (i.e., it is a waste of Asylum Officer time). To make a more difficult standard is problematic because people will not have time to properly present their cases, so that might be unfair.
Hi Dear Jason
Greetings
Thank you very much for you great help as always. I think you clearly know it but let me tell you as a beneficiary once again: You are really helping a lot of frustrated asylum seekers who don’t have any clue on what is going on on their pending case as a result of the asylum offices closed door policy that give no clue but saying the same thing always “your case is pending” for our request that severely affects our life, be it after a week or 2 years. So what I can say is God be with you always. My question now is please say something about cases which are after the interview. As you said in one of your updates about priority changes (from last in first to first in first out) you were just hoping they will not forget those who are already interviewed but the opposite is becoming true. I think they totally forget us and that is really painful. So I am kindly requesting you to say something on it; like current statistics, issues other than the background check that could lead to delay ( may be related to the officers: i heard that after the background is done it is the officer who could finalize it which means if the officer didn’t do it by any reason it could get stacked) , any success stories…and others that you think may help us in at least relieving some stress. I got recommended approval before 10 months, gave expedite finger print last march that gave me some hope but still nothing. Now I field the Obdsman and waiting their response but I just lose hope in the system in general and have less hope in this too. So please don’t forget us please….
Supposedly, one of the priorities is completing cases that have already been interviewed. I am not fully convinced that this is happening, but that is what they have told us. I have had some cases approved recently (2 this week – one had a recommended approval from Sept 2014 and the other was interviewed last summer), so there is some movement. I have not filed Mandamus lawsuits before, but I am looking at that as a possibility to force the asylum office to issue a decision. Maybe you want to consider that idea too (I talked about it on February 26, 2015). Let me know if the Ombudsman’s office is in any way useful, as I have not used them much. Also, you might consider asking your Congressman for help, as that sometimes (seemingly) moves cases along where the security check is causing a delay. Good luck, and hang in there, Jason
Thanks Jason for your quick response. I will definitely share the result with you and your customers (my friends) out there if the result comes. Your two cases which got approved recently are really hope giving for us. Especially for some one who is looking for some hope of reunification with families, it sparks some light of hope and thanks for that. I feel the factor associated with the officer is also significant because I have come to conclude(70-80%) that my case is delayed not because of the background check rather by his problem. I have seen many variations in his response when I have tried to find out the real cause. Anyways please keep on updating us, speak for us (the voiceless) and if possible why not you guys, the attorneys, try to mobilize people so that such unexplained delays could get solutions. I remember back in July, 2014 there was such move by one concerned lawyer in NY. It was a kind of sue on USCIS, i didn’t know the outcome. Though you see, hear and have many experiences, you can’t really feel the pain of family separation to its real extent unless you pass through it. It is really hard and painful. You wake up early in the morning hearing your phone ringing and when you answer, it is your kid crying and say dad I want to come to you, Dad will you come today…the list goes on. Thanks for giving us such place to share Jason.
I think you eloquently explain the tragedy of family separation. We are getting decisions – maybe one a week on average, these days. We have about 40 or 50 cases that have been interviewed and are waiting, so once a week is not fast enough, but it is better than nothing. We have been exploring the possibility of filing a lawsuit for some of our clients. The problem is that many people do not want to do that (they fear it will negatively effect their decision) and we have not had enough time to learn all the details. I expect that we will be filing such lawsuits soon. Also, I have been back and forth with staff people in Congress about the delays, but that has so far led no where, except to me wasting my time. I wish you good luck and hopefully a decision soon, Jason
Thanks Jason. Please don’t consider your back and forth with the staff people in congress because it may help us and other who will join our camp (hopefully not but when you see the performance of the asylum office, it seems inevitable) and hope that will be great satisfaction for you too since you are helping people. The lawsuit issue is also very important in that it may bring final solutions for such tragedy. Thanks.
It was to say please don’t consider your back and forth as wast of time, so it could be read as “please don’t consider you back and forth with the staff people in congress as a wast of time because…thanks
I have not given up on this, but it would be nice if the staff people were either more responsive or more honest about what they are willing and able to do.
Hi Jason!
thanks so much for everything i just want to ask you about cases from
Yemen with everything is changing every now and then
i think what am trying to say here is
how long do you thing for someone apply in jan 31 2015?
and some people told me that Yemeni will get faster interview ?
in Arlington office ?
thank you !
No country gets a faster interview; they just interview cases as the come in. I expect you will be waiting at least another 6 months, but it could easily be much longer; there is really no way to tell for sure, as it depends on how many new people come into he system.
thank you for everything
My question is this ….. is that there is still hope for asylum in the usa because if people are waiting until the 2012-2013 days and chicago from DRC who was filed in late 2014 what will be the days of treatment of our case even goes to the interview? because it starts to scare me and I wonder what day I still see my children as to become insertains …………………… if you can be dv lottery wins so you will be forced to leave the united states for the visa application?
very shocking story
Hopefully, knowing about the delays will at least make it easier to wait, and so when USCIS starts giving more information about them (which should be soon), it will help. I do wish they would give priority to people separated from family members, as that is the #1 problem with delay. Also, if you win the DV lottery while your case is pending, you might be able to take advantage of it, but you should talk to a lawyer if that happens so you can get help.
Wow what an update ! I hope things move faster for everyone. Jason what impact do you think will the results of the presidential elections have on immigration laws as a whole and specifically on asylum cases. Which candidate will be more favorable for immigrants. Also I wanted to ask if you got any cases approved in the last 3 months and from which USCIS centers were the cases decided. God bless you !
I will probably write about presidential candidates and asylum once the candidate’s positions are more clear and we are further along in the process. We have been getting some decisions – not as many as we’d like, but some. We had two approvals in the last week. One previously had a recommended approval (about 6 months ago) and the other had been waiting for maybe a year with no news until last week. These were in Virginia. We also won a case in court a few days ago, also in Virginia.
Hey Jason,
Thank you for an insightful post as always. I was curious about the discrepancies in acceptance rates between offices and one thing I noticed while going through the statistics is that offices with a lower number of interviews schedules per month could have their statistics eschewed by things such as filling deadline referrals, uninterviewed referrals, and no-show denials. For instance, and for the Houston office in January 2015, by discounting these numbers we can see that out of the interviewed cases that didn’t miss the filing deadline, around 50% were approved and the rest denied or referred, which is a much more optimistic number than under 33%. What do you think?
I was actually hesitant to put in a paragraph about the grant rates because there are so many factors involved in those, and I have doubts about how useful those numbers are. However, I think they show the basic trends in the different offices, so I included them. I did not see how to separate out the numbers as you suggest, but I am not surprised by what you say. I would like to see more info about the variability in grant rates between offices, and to know whether legitimate factors are causing the differences (for example, maybe one offices has more people who apply after the one-year asylum deadline). Thank you for the comment.
Thank you for you reply. I agree that it shows a general trend that is troubling insofar as it shows the roulette nature of asylum approval. I once read a study saying that even when you control for factors such as nationality and time of filing, there are discrepancies between the different offices and even the different officers within each office. I suspect -and I am hesitant to jump to conclusions- that part of it is that officers in certain states might have less of a positive sentiment towards immigrants, perhaps due to political alignment. For my Houston office January numbers I subtracted the number of filing deadline referrals, uninterviewed referrals, and no-show denials that are stated on the USCIS statistics tables from the overall number of cases completed, and then calculated the percent of cases approved against that number. Perhaps that gives us a better idea about the percentage of approved cases after interviews.
Thank you for your time and efforts towards these causes.
I think you are referring to the article Refugee Roulette, which also became a book. I agree that it is a bit difficult to draw conclusions from the data (we need better, more complete data from the government), but I think it is generally accepted that some variability is not based on any legitimate reason (i.e., it is because of officers’ bias). For example, in his book, Asylum Denied, Phil Schrag has a chart from LA (I think) showing grant rates for different officers for Chinese cases. On one side of the chart, an officer grants about 90% of Chinese cases; on the other end, another officer grants only about 5% of cases. To me (and to Prof. Schrag), this shows a need for better training in order to reduce variability.
This is interesting. I should probably pick up that book, but sometimes hearing about some of the denied cases is heart-wrenching. It’s bad enough that these people have to go through so much just to get to a safe haven, getting shipped back to where they can suffer harm and pain is just difficult to conceptualize. I’ve also been wanting to ask you about the success rates for Syrian Christians claiming asylum, as you obviously have a great amount of experience with different asylum cases. I’ve been hearing about several cases that were denied and I find it strange given the good amount of evidence documenting their systematic persecution at the hands of extremists.
I have not done a Syrian Christian case, but I imagine they should be strong cases in general. However, if they do not have a specific threat against them and they are claiming a “pattern and practice” of persecution, that might be more challenging to prove. On the other hand, I’ve done a number of Christian cases from other countries, including Egypt, where all the cases were approved.
Thank you! I have a friend of the family that is a Syrian Christian. He was injured in a car bomb attack that targeted his neighborhood for religious reasons. He’s also wanted for the Syrian military draft and refuses to serve due to gross human rights violations on part of the Syrian military, making him a conscientious objector. He’s been hesitant about whether to apply or not after reading about all the delays and difficulties, and I’ve not been able to give him any solid advice.
He probably will have a strong case (though in at least one case, I had trouble arguing that being a victim of a bomb attack was past persecution). He will have a long wait, like everyone else.
Hi Jason,
I can’t thank you enough for feeling with us, the desperate asylees!
We did our interview in Chicago office in Jan, 2013 and while waiting we did all the steps you mentioned in a previous blog about handling the delay.
Two weeks ago, we were asked to have a second finger print. Do you think that it has anything to do with issuing a decision?
Thanks a lot.
Maybe. We have seen that for a number of our clients. In some cases, a decision followed in the next few months, and in other cases, they are still waiting. Hopefully, you will get something soon, as 2+ years is a very long time to wait post-interview. Good luck, Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for the very informative blog. I have read through many of your blogs and I read somewhere that some nationalities have a longer process than others. Do you know of any Palestinian cases taking longer given the nationality?
Another questions is, if someone decides to apply for Asylum in the US, can they still work online if not allowed to work in the US? not with US companies, but with companies in Europe or somewhere else?
Thanks
In my experience, Palestinian cases are not slower than other countries, but I imagine if the person had residency in a third country, it might cause delay. I suppose if you are not working for a US employer, it should not implicate US immigration law, but maybe you ought to talk to a lawyer about the specifics of the arrangement. However, even if you work without permission, it generally does not affect eligibility for asylum (though it could affect eligibility for other immigration benefits). Take care, Jason
Hi Jason. My case has been pending for 739 days in total and for 61 days after the interview. Decision is supposed to be mailed to me. Waiting has been so long that I am very confused and don’t know what to expect or think.
Does an asylum office generally mail “Recommended approval” letters to asylum applicants or is it solely
used in cases when they ask an applicant to come to an office and pick up a decision but since background check is not ready yet, they are kind of compelled to give preliminary decision in the form of “Recommended approval”?
In 2 weeks I am gonna visit them and hopefully by that time they will have good news for me…
Generally, people get recommended approvals if the case is being approved but the security background check is not yet complete. Some countries are slower than others, and some asylum officers are slower than others, so there could be different reasons for the delay in your case. Good luck, Jason